


Love Is An Ocean Wide

by DarkAlpha67



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: 5 +1 things, Altered Events, Background Couples, Bullying, Derek is an alpha, Erica and Boyd are alive, Established Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hints of Isaac and Allison, Hints of Sterek Future., M/M, Mention of Abused Isaac Lahey, Mention of Betrayal, Mention of Scott McCall/Allison Argent - Freeform, Mention of abuse, Mention of sexuality issues, Mentions of Laura Hale - Freeform, Minor Lydia Martin/Jackson Whittemore, Possible futures., Post Season 2, Sterek through the pack's eyes, Tags with be added at a later stage, The Hale Pack is A Family, outsider's POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-20
Updated: 2017-11-26
Packaged: 2019-02-04 21:10:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12779580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkAlpha67/pseuds/DarkAlpha67
Summary: Stiles and Derek's relationship through the pack's eyes.---More in the Notes





	1. Isaac Lahey: Touch

**Author's Note:**

> So... Hi! I've been away for a while (In my books) because I've been working on finishing all my stories before posting a new one. This one I have been working on for months.
> 
> Every Chapter is from the pack's perceptive. It will deal with them but also, Sterek. Every Chapter will have a differing warnings.
> 
>  
> 
> *
> 
> In this Chapter, there is mentions of Abuse by a parent. In Isaac's case his father (As we all know) And it deals and mentions the after effect of that abuse.
> 
> If I have offended anyone in this work, it was not my intention and I apologize.

After years of abuse, years of living under the hand of a cruel father, a man who saw him as nothing but the son who survived when his brother should have, Isaac despised touch.

It took months before he even became remotely comfortable with his pack touching him. Sure, Derek was the exception given that he was Isaac’s Alpha and all that. But every brush of skin had him jerking back. The very presence of another body near his, had his chest tightening, making it difficult to breath.

He hid it well for year with rude, sarcastic remarks but his life took a sharp turn into a different path. No longer was he surrounded with oblivious humans but sharp-eyed werewolves. The easy display of violence, frightened him, but Isaac knew, somehow, deep inside that whenever Derek was near, nobody could hurt him.

However, that always made him wonder… Who made Derek feel that level of safety?

“Okay, are we sure about this plan? Because me and Lydia are not changing it again.” Stiles’ voice pulled him back to the present.

_Stiles…_

After Derek revealed he and Stiles were in a relationship it came as a shock… Needless to say no one reacted the way they should have. Erica laughed. Isaac gaped. Boyd said nothing and Scott asked why.

They got an earful from Derek after Stiles walked out of the loft, shaking his head and muttering about ‘needing some air’.

“Yes. For the last time.” Erica groaned next to him.

Stiles gave her a look, his brown eyes narrowed. “I’m trying to help, okay. I don’t need to worry about any of you getting hurt because you can’t do what we planned on. There is no way we are dealing with one Omega so I need to be sure.”

Isaac watched as Derek, who was standing next to Stiles, as always, gave Erica a hard look. He’s very protective, Isaac noticed, whenever someone undermined Stiles.

“I know.” She looked away from Derek in favor of Stiles. “I’m just saying our answer was the same as it was three questions ago.”

“Okay, so we good?” Jackson’s asked in his patented obnoxious voice. “Because I’d really like to go home and get some sleep.”

“You’re right. Go. We’ll meet back here tomorrow.” Derek nodded at everyone.

Jackson sighed and with a peck to Lydia’s lips and a final nod to Derek, he made his way out of the loft.

Huh! Jackson being respectful? Who would have thought?

“Mom covered for us, Stiles. But your dad did say we should be back before mid-night.” Scott informed Stiles from where he was sitting on a chair.

Scott was about to say something when his cell vibrated. He pulled out his cell, a smile forming on his lips as he read a text… _Allison_ …

Isaac helped Lydia pack up all the plans and maps away. She gave him a small, thankful smile before bidding goodbye to everyone with a wave.

Hushed whispers caused Isaac to look over to see Stiles and Derek standing near the window. Derek, with his hand on Stiles arm as he leaned forward, talking softly.

“I still don’t think this is a good idea.” He said and Isaac frowned when he sensed his Alpha’s distress.

Stiles sighed. “I know but we talked about this. Me, going out there with you guys is not going to change because I’m with you.”

Oh…

Stiles took a step closer, his eyes firmly focused on Derek. “I’ll be fine. I promise.”

They stared at each other before Derek finally gave him a resigned nod. Stiles gave him that lop-sided smirk, leaned over to press a peck on Derek’s lips and it’s then that Isaac turned away from them.

He’s still uncomfortable and unsure with the two of them. Having a front row seat to their affection, it still brought forth questions that plagued his mind the moment his father raised a hand at him.

Isaac only looked back up when Scott and Stiles greeted everyone goodbye. Isaac got a nod from Stiles and a smile from Scott, both of them knowing how uncomfortable he was with them touching him, while Erica got a hug and Boyd a slap on his shoulder.

 

*

 

Stiles had been right…

There wasn’t one, not even two but four.

Isaac had always thought they traveled alone, because Omega’s were known for that, but apparently these four thought it would be opportunistic if they traveled together and tried their hand at over throwing a pack.

Just for kicks.

Bullshit!

Erica, Boyd and Allison were on border patrol to make sure no other Omegas were near. Isaac, along with the were-couple had gaped at Stiles when he had given that order. Lydia had given them a firm talk in a minute about how Allison was pack and it’s time they worked toward acquaintanceship at least if they wanted to make this rag-tag pack work.

There was no way Erica and Boyd actually listened to her so of course Derek spoke to them privately after everyone left.

Near the end, everyone was injured.

They were gasping for air, bloodied and tired. Isaac had been slashed and clawed at, and for once the pain didn’t make him feel weak. It made him feel strong.

That’s what Derek and being a werewolf had taught him, _that no amount of pain can hurt more than the pain you inflict on yourself by giving over to that pain._

It took him a while before he actually grasped that message but now… he understood.

“Isaac!”

He spun around and felt a body collide with his. His pack bond blossomed and he sank into the comforting embrace of Erica. She always did that; hug every last member after a near-death battle.

Isaac buried his face into her hair, finding comfort in the way she griped onto him.

Looking up he saw Scott and Allison in an embrace, soft words of comfort being exchanged between the two.

He lifted his head up as he scanned the area, looking for his Alpha. Something tugged at his gut, a deep-seated worry that tensed him, along with every werewolf, up.

“Stiles!”

Derek’s roar tore through the empty clearing. Isaac pulled away from Erica at the pure terror in his Alpha’s voice. Something cold washed over him as his eyes scanned the area, looking for the human.

“Stiles!” Derek screamed.

Everyone whipped around to see Derek limping, looking around in circling. His pounding heart rung through Isaac’s ears and dread settles deep in his gut like lead.

“Derek!” Jackson shouted. “Over here!”

Isaac turned toward the direction the voice came from, his eyes falling on Jackson as the Kamina/Werewolf staggering forward with Stiles’ arm around him his shoulders, limping over to them. There was a nasty bruise on the side of Stiles’ face, a cut on his lip and his left leg was barely moving.

Isaac hadn’t even aware that he’d been holding his breathe until it was expelled with great relief. Erica sagged against him and Boyd placed a comforting hand on their shoulders.

It’s hard, being back to have some sense of what another was feeling and he knew, everyone, much like him, had felt Derek’s utter terror as he screamed Stiles’ name.

“Fuck, a little gentler, Jacks.” Stiles groaned. “I thought Lydia was teaching you to be less rough.”

“Shut the fuck up.” Jackson said with as much aggression he could mutter, all in a feeble attempt to make his words sound more believable.

Isaac watched as Derek, his always strong Alpha, closed the distance between himself and Stiles. Jackson let go of Stiles’ arm. Derek took the weight instantly, his eyes never leaving Stiles’.

Derek shook his head, lifting his free hand up to cup Stiles’ bruise-free cheek. His thumb stroked over the cut on Stiles’ lips. The brunette closed his eyes, and leaned into his touch.

“I’m fine.” Stiles said and although his voice was soft and the words were whispered, Isaac, for the first time, strained to listen into the conversation.

Slowly, as Derek spoke, the hold of terror on his heart eased.

“We need to work on your definition of a ‘fine’, Stiles.”

He laughed weakly. “Could say the same about you, babe.”

“Don’t call me that.” Derek sighed and Isaac watched as Stiles lifted a hand up, gave the Alpha’s cheek a soft stroke, moving into small playful pat.

And then Isaac felt it.

A sensation of pure warmth washed over him. He stared in shock, fully aware that the feeling had sprung from Derek. As it claimed him and overpowered every bad thought and emotion that in risen up in those few minutes, Isaac finally understood it. The need to touch.

The need to have _physical human_ contact.

“You felt that?” Erica whispered next to him.

Isaac wanted to answer but he couldn’t.

“Yep.” Jackson grounded out next to him, popping the ‘p’. “It’s disgusting.”

“Oh please. I felt that puppy joy, _Jacks_.”

Erica and Jackson started bickering back and forth and something squeezed Isaac’s shoulder, drawing him away from Derek and Stiles as they took a step away from one another, as Scott and Allison came closer for Scott to hug Stiles.

“You okay?” Boyd’s calm voice asked.

Isaac nodded. He felt grounded to the life he’d been given by the gentle touches of his pack mates. From Erica’s arm that was still curled around his waist and Boyd’s hand on his shoulder.

He now had a word for it… He felt _tethered_.

“Yeah, I am.”


	2. Erica Reyes: Words

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING!; They chapter deals with Bullying. It deals with some effects that verbal bullying can have on one's confidence, there is mentioning of the deceased Hale Pack and insecurities.

“Hurry up!” Erica shouted.

“Yell at me one more time Erica and I will dump this popcorn over your head.” Jackson snapped from the other side of the house.

Erica looked over her shoulder and shoot him a wide grin. Lydia sighed next to her, and she shared an eye roll with the banshee. _Boys_ …

She loved this. The comfort that came with friends and acceptance.

As she watched her pack, her friends, make themselves comfortable on the floor and couches in front of Derek’s flat screen, she felt that cuddly warmth grow inside her. She hummed in joy and burrowed back into her own little pillow.

Well she wouldn’t call him _little_ per say.

Boyd’s arms tightened around her waist, his big bulky form enveloping her, as he tugged her back. A hot breath fanned against her neck, followed by a sweet kiss.

“Hurry up, Jackson!” Scott complained on the floor. “The movie is about to start.”

Erica bit her lip to stiffen a laugh when a pack of red vines hit Scott across the face just as Jackson finally made his appearance. She looked around her, taking in the re-constructed Hale house. She missed the loft, make no mistake but this place… this place felt like home.

She was shocked when Derek had divulged his plan to build a home in Beacon Hills. Stiles had grinned at them all and Lydia couldn’t stop smirking, her ‘devil wears’ Prada’ eyes gleaming.

It took months with everyone pitching in and Erica finally getting her hands dirty as she assisted in the building of Derek’s new home. On the day the house was completed, Derek had taken everyone on a tour. It was when he reached the top that he revealed the empty rooms and shyly informed everyone they were free to pick and choose which room they wanted.

And now, almost everyone had a room at Derek’s, including Lydia and Scott.

“Where’s Stiles and Derek?” Isaac spoke up from the floor beside her leg.

Erica smiles down at him, tangling her fingers through his mob of curly hair and he returned the favor to Allison who’s sprawled out on the fluffy blanket on the floor, her head rested on Isaac’s lap.

“Having sex.” Lydia informed them casually.

Almost every head snapped over to her. Her red shaded lips tugged up into a smirk and she rolls her eyes in that ‘god you guys are idiots’ way.

“Thank you for that, Lydia.” A sarcastic voice quipped.

Erica looked over, watching Stiles jog down the stairs. Every nose twitched involuntarily. Erica inhaled a hint of the human’s scent, sinking back into Boyd with relief as the sweet cinnamon scent that was purely Stiles, with a hint of Derek’s spearmint scent. This perfect blend wasn’t much of a shock, given how much those two sappy assholes hugged and touch one another.

Geez, Derek Hale, being okay with touch… Erica never thought she’d see that day.

“You were taking your sweet time up there.” Scott grinned at him.

“And? You Jealous?”

Stiles made his way over to them, and everyone automatically made space for him on the couch. He plopped down as sloppily as only Stiles could do, letting out a completely unnecessary sigh.

“Just start the fucking movie, McCall.” Jackson groaned, reaching over to throw popcorn at Scott.

As Scott reached out for the remote, everyone shuffled closer to each other. Lydia shifted so she could lean against Jackson’s side, throwing her legs over Stiles waiting lap. Erica snuggled further into Boyd’s embrace, sighing when she felt his arms flex, tightening his hold on her.

Silence fell over the room as Captain America started, as requested by almost everyone when they found out Isaac had never seen it. Nobody made a sound aside from Jackson’s loud chewing.

While the movie played, Erica noticed how tense Stiles was. He kept glancing toward the stairs. On any other day, Erica would have mocked him, made a snide sexual comment but the worry in Stiles’ eyes told her his frequent glances had nothing to do with sex.

“Hey,” She whispered, leaning over. “You okay?”

Stiles looked over to her and nods. “Yeah, totally.”

She raised her eyebrow at him.

The human gave her a wink. “It’s nothing, Cat woman.”

“Shh!” Isaac shushed, his head angled a bit toward them, his eyes fixed on the TV screen.

Erica gave his head a shove and the conversation was forgotten.

Half-way through the movie, she felt Stiles shift around as he moved out from under Lydia’s legs. Nobody said anything, though Scott did look over to frown at his best friend as the brunette disappeared up the stairs.

The puppy-wolf, as she liked to call him in her head, turned his worried eyes on her.

She shrugged and both turned, glancing toward the stairs. They paused, waiting for either Stiles or Derek to return but when no one came the two beta turned to one another.

Scott raised his eyebrows and when Erica shook her head, he widened those puppy brown eyes. Going so far as to lower his head a bit to make them even more adorable. That fucking cute bastard.

Her lips curled in a snarl, a growl vibrating in her throat. Scott held the stare until she could take it anymore. Rolling her eyes, Erica sighed in exasperation as she slowly pulled away from Boyd.

Scott gave a beaming grin which she responded by extending a middle finger.

As she moved past the laying bodies, she heard Jackson growl. “Move.”

“Fuck you.” She retorted with a feline grin, walking past him.

Erica made her way up the stairs before she paused, wondering if it was wise to go up there. She and the pack, thankfully, have yet to walk in on Derek and Stiles doing the dance with no pants and she would like to keep it that way.

Two steady heartbeats reached her ears and Erica sighed softly in relief, continuing her way up the stairs. She still found it so surreal that regardless of how her life turned out, she had a home for herself. She wasn’t close to her parents; they tried but the days before she got the bite she’d felt more like a duty than their child.

That had been one of the deciding factors in becoming a werewolf.

As she got closer, the faint sounds of hushed whispers traveled down from the top of the stairs. It was indecipherable, prompting her to move a little closer.

When Erica reached the top of the stairs, she turned left and headed toward Derek’s room.

Slowly the voices formed into comprehensible words.

“… okay.”

“You….her.”

Stiles.

She lighted her footsteps, as she came to a stop outside Derek’s ajar bedroom door.

“I can image her right now, grinning at me and messing around with everyone.” Derek was saying, his voice soft and melancholy.

Her nose twitched, her wolf stirring at the scent of longing wafting from within the room. She instinctively moved a little closer, angling around, looking into the room to see what had Derek so upset. The question on the tip of the tongue got lost at the sight before her eyes.

Stiles was horizontally stretched out on the top of the bed, his legs dangling off one edge and his head, resting on his hand, reached the other end. Derek’s laying vertically down the bed, his head cushioned against Stiles’ stomach.

It was a weird position but she’d learned a long time ago that Stiles had brought his strange habits into their relationship. Quite frequently in her opinion. Derek seemed to indulge them every now and then much to everyone’s amusement. Once she’d walked in on Stiles sitting on Derek’s neck, the younger boy wielding a newspaper, yelling: There it is! There’s the spider! Move! No… left… _Left!_

“Laura would have been a better Alpha to them…” Derek said sadly.

Green and brown eyes were gazing down at a photograph in Derek’s hands.

“Yeah, she would have been.” Stiles nodded in confirmation.

His words shocked her.

Erica’s heart crack for Derek.

She knew the affect harsh words could have on one’s soul. She’d gone through years of torment, where people found twisted joy in laughing and ridiculing her.

Her mouth opened, her body turned, ready to step into the room, to make her presence known and kick Stiles’ ass for what he’d just said.

Stiles ducked his head and smiled at Derek. “I think I remember you telling me, she was _trained_ to be an Alpha. A better Alpha that your mom, right?” Stiles asked. “Now I don’t know about you but people who are trained to be something are usually better than the person who had zero training what so ever, am I right?”

“Shut up.” Derek huffed, tilting his head up to glare at him.

“Hey, you were the one comparing yourself to a trained Alpha.” Stiles lifted a hand in surrender.

“You’re an asshole.”

“Says the resident dick.”

“Isn’t that Jackson… oh I’m sorry _Jacks_.” Derek mocked.

Stiles laughed at that. “Jackson is the resident Jackass… it’s in the dude’s name.” He trailed off, shaking his head. “I still can’t believe I can get away with calling him that.”

A sweet, honey scent encompassed the room and Erica felt her wolf relax as Derek laughed, his bunny teeth on full display. Stiles’ fingers peaked out through the Alpha’s spiked up hair where he gently fists the strands.

“He’s doing well.” Derek commented.

“He’s still a Jackass.”

Her Alpha hummed and his eyes returned to the photo in his hands. “She would have known what to do.” He said.

“We still have to talk to him about it, Derek.” Stiles carded his fingers through his hair.

Derek frowned in displeasure. Stiles, as if sensing his distress, leaned forward and pressed a kiss on the top of his head.

“He’s my best friend, love. I will support him, you know that.” Stiles said into Derek’s hair.

_Who were they talking about?_

_Scott?_

_What about Scott?_

She felt her bond with Derek tighten within her, as if trying to draw her in, closer to him.

“Trust the pack. Whatever happens, happens.” Stiles comforted him.

Derek pressed his lips together, adding nothing to that. They’re eyes returned to the photo. Erica had no idea Derek even had a photograph of Laura. A part her wished to put a face to the Hale woman, the big sister whom, to this day, played a part in Derek’s life.

She had heard Derek confess to Stiles that Erica reminded him a little of Laura. Warmth had consumed her that day, increasing her desire to see this woman and find out more about her. She’d been close to asking Derek about Laura when Boyd had advice against it.

“It’s his sister, baby. You don’t want to be comparing yourself to her every time Derek says something about you.”

And he’d been right. Had she found out more about Laura Hale, a part of Erica would have constantly wondered if what Derek liked about her was because it reminded him of his sister or because he actually liked _her_.

Erica moved to turn around when green eyes locked with hers.

Her body froze as she tensed up in fear.

“You okay, Erica?” Derek asked lightly, as if she hadn’t just eavesdropped on a private conversation.

Stiles looked up too and gave a lopsided smile.

She waited for Derek to snap at her. She waited for that harsh voice that used to put the fear of God in her but Derek didn’t say anything. He looked relaxed, leaning back against Stile’s stomach, patience evident in his steady heartbeat.

Hesitantly she shook her head.

“You wanna join us?” Stiles smirked at her.

Erica latched onto the out without missing a beat, rolling her eyes for good measure. “Ew, no.”

Stiles laughed as he leaned forward, his mouth opening.

“Don’t.” Derek cut him off sharply. “Do not even _think_ about it.”

Stiles sagged back and shot Derek a dirty look.

The she-wolf slowly took a step back. A wave of relief washed over her at Derek and Stiles’ antics, the twisted sensation in her gut easing.

Even after all these months, after she’d gained this unwavering confidence due to the bite, she still found herself effected by the harsh words people spewed with the intention of hurting her without any remorse. She hid it well, behind aggression and a ‘couldn’t give two fucks’ mask, but the old Erica was still there. She chose to resurface on those rare occasions and, since the bonds between her pack members have strengthened, she’d discovered they were slowly helping that Erica.

They watched what they said, mindful that words hurt, and made sure their tone weren’t too harsh when addressing other’s in the pack. Lydia and Allison were teaching her how to build her inner confidence, so that it matched her outer confidence. Jackson, surprisingly helped her a lot, even if he didn’t know it, by being a dick but without being an _actual_ dick.

“I’m gonna go finished watching the movie.” She said, jabbing her thumb to the back.

Derek nodded and Stiles tossed her a wink but neither moved.

As she walked away she heard Derek’s voice.

“Should I be worried that you feel so comfortable inviting someone else into our bed?”

Stiles snorted. “You jealous Erica is better?”

“Bite me!”

“Oh, can I, please?”

Stiles grunted all of the sudden and let out a bark of laughter.

A small smile form on her lips, growing further as Stiles begged for Derek to stop through uncontrollable shrieks of laughter.

Yeah, words hurt. But since becoming a werewolf, she’d discovered there were various forms of words that could break your soul or bright your entire day…

They just needed to come from the right people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next POV will be Boyd
> 
> So, to clear somethings up... The 'thing' about Scott is his potential to be a True Alpha and what that would mean for the pack.
> 
> I am currently looking for a beta, does anyone know how I can get one??


	3. Boyd: Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This takes place in Season 3. The events have been altered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter deals with non-consensual acts and cheating. It doesn't go into depths but it does play a part in this story.

Isolation equaled silence.

Boyd used to hate the silence. It was a reminder that something was amiss in his life, and he had no idea what that something was. He’d spend his days longing for someone to notice him, the quiet boy who sat by himself.

And then came the day Stilinski dropped down by his table, talking to him like they were old friends. Unbeknownst to Boyd, that one conversation had set in motion a series of events that would lead to him becoming into a werewolf and being welcomed into a pack… a _family_.

After that silence was a long forgotten enemy.

His days were filled with laughter, talking, incessant hugs and blinding smiles. He met Erica Reyes and a switch had been flipped. Boyd felt more alive than ever and he lived for the days when he could get to school and sit with Erica and Isaac during lunch.

Stilinski and Scott had been wary at first, glancing over to them, whispering to each other as if Boyd didn’t have super hearing and could hear every word being spoken.

Boyd had thought silence would never darken his life… And then he met Ms Jennifer Blake.

Stiles had offered to give Boyd, Isaac and Erica a lift home one Thursday. Had he known the events that could occur hours later, he would had declined on the spot.

He remembered the sharp exhalation that left Stiles’ lips when they had pulled up in front Derek’s loft, an old worn down building, the Alpha still kept as his own little ‘wolf cave’—as Stiles had dubbed it. He remembered the punch in the gut sensation not believing what he was seeing.

All eyes were fixed on Derek as he willing leaned down, allowing their English teacher to press a kiss against his lips. Boyd’s eyes ran over her, taking in her messy hair, ruffled clothes and flushed skin. As her hand slip under Derek’s shirt, his wolf shivered in disgust.

Erica growled in the back and a suffocating silence followed.

Boyd’s stomach churned. Radiating anger and utter betrayal, Stiles turned to him, glaring. “Get out.” He ordered harshly.

Everybody obeyed, scrambling out of the car as fast as possible. Stiles’ jeep reversed back and spun sharply around, before taking off, leaving them all behind.

 

*

 

They couldn’t believe it…

They knew Derek, and there was no way in hell he would ever cheat on Stiles. So with conviction, rooted deep within their soul, they turned to Lydia and Scott for help. Nights were spent researching, their noses buried in books, looking for something, anything, that would explain the mysterious series of murders and how they all connected to Jennifer Blake.

They had to connect to her!

Boyd knew Derek and something was not right.

On top of all of that, Derek had discovered his long lost sister and a pack of bloodthirsty Alphas had made their presence known, preaching shit to Derek about power, twisting his Alpha’s views of his pack, influencing his mind...

Boyd had never been so terrified in his life. A voice in his head kept urging him to leave, to run before he was either killed or chased away for his own safety.

It took months before they found the connection. Isaac acted like a snarky asshole who hid his own fears behind self-loathing comments. Erica became violent, lashing out at everything and everyone who rubbed her the wrong way. Jackson’s taken up the reigns as a mediator, assuring the others in a way they didn’t think possible. He encouraged them, rudely at times, to keep looking and to ‘stop fucking messing around’.

But nobody missed the division in their once strong pack.

Scott withdrew from everyone, sticking with his best friend while Allison had become a sort of bridge, a link between Stiles and Scott and the rest of the pack.

When the answer arrived, it came as a shock.

 _Darach’s_ … Their English teacher was some supernatural witch, hell bend on killing the Alpha back, with no regards to the lives that were lost in her quest for victory.

It was a bloody battle that destroyed everything Boyd held dear and after Deucalion walked away from them all and Jennifer taken off, the pack was left to pick up the pieces of a broken pack.

He felt it within him… _everything_ had changed.

Scott’s eyes were no longer a warm gold but ruby red.

His brittle pack, which had been at the brink of breaking was now completely divided.

With Scott one side, Derek on the other and Stiles in the middle, Boyd knew, one more hit and he would crumble.

The pack he had joined was non-existent. The bonds he had been blessed with was taut with one vulnerable link holding them together.

 

*

 

It only took the next day for that link to snap.

“Stiles, I already explained this to you! I didn’t know! What more do you want! I told you about her and how she smelled like you... how she used the bond between me and your scent to mess with my mind!” Derek shouted, his voice rough and hoarse from hours of usage, hours of screaming his heart out.

Erica’s claws dug into his arm as her and Boyd hid outside in the woods of the preserve, seated, and huddled together with their backs pressed painfully into the rough bark of the tree.

“You think I don’t know that!” Stiles screamed. “I know all of this but that doesn’t stop my mind from seeing you and her together! I look at you and I see her reflection in your eyes. I just kissed you and I can swear your lips taste different. That is all stuff that I can’t change with words and understanding.”

Anguish coursed through him… Not his, but Derek’s.

“I don’t know how to make this better for you…”

“That’s just the thing, Derek. You can’t. I’m being a fucking dick, I know that, and I wish I’d get my heart to understand what my head already knows… I just,” Stiles sighed. “I just need time—“

“Stiles, don’t.”

“I need to work with Scott about this whole True Alpha thing. I need to figure out how two Alpha’s in one territory will work. You have your sister and your own pack to work on and you don’t need me and our problems adding onto all of that.”

“It’s not a pile on—“

 _“Derek, you’re not listening!”_ Stiles shouted, cutting his Alpha off in a tone of desperation.

Boyd heard shuffling. He heard the thudding of hurried footsteps, felt the pounding of frantic hearts in his own chest. The loud, harsh sound of a zipper closing tore through him.

Erica turned and buried her face in his shoulder, her claws sinking into his skin. Boyd felt the slow, trickle of blood trail down his arm, and he didn’t care.

The pain was something to focus on.

The front door of the Pack House was ripped opened and Stiles stormed out with a duffle back swung over his shoulder. Derek appeared seconds later, coming to a halt by the door frame, anguish and sorrow pouring out of him in overwhelming waves.

Stiles got into his jeep, slamming the car door shut and starting the car.

Derek’s eyes followed the Jeep, irises flickering uncontrollably from red and green. Erica moved to stand up and Boyd followed her, numb to the core as he made his way toward the Pack House, ignoring the screeching of the Jeep as it turned around and drove away.

Erica let go of his arm and sped over to their Alpha. She launched herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck as dead silence fell over them once more, burdened by heartache and the devastating loss they were all experiencing.

 

*

 

Scott came over a week later and by then, everything had changed.

It was just Erica, Boyd and Derek in the pack house. His sister had packed her bags and left. Boyd would have been pissed off, he should hate Cora for leaving but he couldn’t.

With the way everything was tearing apart at the seams, he was kind of glad that someone was not trapped here. He’d seen the look in Erica’s eyes, seen the need, he too felt, to leave. To escape the clutches of heartache and the overwhelming despair they experienced very second of every day.

Boyd had thought he would never be the victim of utter silence… And he wasn’t. At least no entirely.

During those times when the house was filled with voices, it was Derek leaving Stiles messages.

“Stiles… It’s Derek. It’s been a week. I don’t—I need you to tell me what the hell is happening. Call me, please.”

After those voicemails, Boyd would find himself out in the front yard, being tossed and shoved by his Alpha. He would work out and train with Derek until the older man could barely stand on his own two feet. Erica would take over next, either to take his place, or lead Derek back inside.

Isaac showed his support by feeding Derek information. Updates on how Scott was doing, how he was handling the new and uniquely obtained Alpha status, but never about Stiles. The blue eyed beta would get this look in his eyes as if he wanted to end Derek’s pain but didn’t know if hearing about Stiles would do more harm than good.

“Stiles. I don’t know if you’re getting my messages. I don’t know what to do… Please…”

 

*

 

The two months that followed were one of the worst of Boyd’s life.

Derek had become a shell of a person, reduced to icy glares, harsh words and a commanding tone. Boyd felt his pain as though it were his own.

The new McCall Pack, which consisted of Lydia, Allison, Scott and Stiles had agreed to meet up one day and Boyd ignored the hope that had traitorously bubbled up within him.

He waited, wondering and praying that this be the day everything would go back to the way it had been. But as he stood behind Derek with Isaac and Erica by his side, watching with a stoic expression as Lydia and Stiles broke apart Beacon Hills into two sections, his spirit was inevitably crushed.

He was benumbed, his body shutting down with every passing second. He allowed it, hating the incompletely feeling within.

Everyone watched and listened as Lydia pointed out the lines where Derek’s territory ended and Scott’s began, effectively ensuring that they would never be the Hale pack ever again.

It was a cold and lifeless day. Boyd’s wolf tugged and tugged at the bonds within his pack, triple checking them whenever Stiles and Derek locked eyes. They’d stare at one another, a message and a plea all in one heart shattering look.

Then Stiles would look away. Boyd would smell the tell-tale signs of pain and need bleeding from the human as he cleared his throat and rushed through the treaty him and Scott had came up with, speaking almost robotically.

That night Erica and Isaac joined Derek on the worn out couch as their Alpha stared out in the distance, his once hard eyes vacant and empty.

 

*

 

Silence was a cruel trick of the ear.

Boyd knew that in order for silence to exist, there had to have been sound, and when your ears have become used to endless chattering, joyous laughter, it was your ears that sought out those familiar sounds afterward.

It was during those times of dead silence that Boyd had learned why people longed for certain things. Before he’d been bitten, the loneliness had never bothered it, because he didn’t know what life without it was like.

He had lived in silence and now… he was tortured by silence.

So when his life of forced isolation was shattered by a thundering knock on the front door of the Pack house, Boyd had been out of bed in a flash. He heard Derek’s bedroom door burst open, the slam echoing down the hallway.

Erica stumbled out of their bed, her hand finding his in the dark as they hurried out, following their Alpha’s pounding steps.

They heard the front door being ripped open. A chaotic heartbeat, matching Derek’s, filled the room and Boyd stopped in his tracks.

Erica’s nails dug into his hand, her breath hitching in anticipation as voices traveled up and through the house.

“Stiles… what are---“

“I’m sorry.” A broken voice sobbed out.

Boyd’s eyes locked with Erica’s. Tears filled her chocolate orbs, her lips quivering, working its way into a shocked smile.

Stiles continued to speak, his lively yet sorrow-filled voice carrying along the walls, reaching Boyd’s eager ears. “I fucked up. I know I did. I tried to get over it. I wanted to end it and I thought I could. I thought I could move on but I--- I can’t Derek. I can’t get over it. I don’t want to---“

“Hey, hey, breathe.”

Erica moved forward and Boyd followed after her. They took the stairs with slow, measured steps.

“Please, don’t—please, don’t go.”

They reached the end and turned to look around the corner. Boyd’s heart stop at the sight of Stiles. His hair was a mess, greasy and standing up on ends. His once porcelain skin looked sickly pale, darkening the angry red bags hanging below bloodshot eyes.

Derek’s one hand was pressed against Stiles’ side, his other cupping his jaw and though Boyd couldn’t see everything clearly, he knew Derek’s hold was the only thing keeping Stilinski up.

“Please…” Stiles breathed out weakly.

Derek shook his head. Erica’s nails pinched his skin as they watched, senseless with shock and bubbling hope as Derek drew Stiles in. Stiles fell into the embrace, his shaking hands coming up to fist Derek’s vest, pulling at the material, clawing in a desperate attempt to pull him closer.

His tear tracked face buried itself into Derek’s shoulder.

It was the sound of a broken sob that broke the heavy cloud of silence that had hung over this home. The heart aching noise ignited a whimper from Erica and he knew she felt it too.

A warmth so sweet, so safe and comforting enveloped him in that instant. He felt it wash over his cold being, from one end to the next. The suffocating hold on his chest vanished as Derek hushed Stiles. The taut pack bond that had his wolf on edge eased as Stiles sighed into Derek’s shoulder.

 

*

 

Silence was a deadly form of torture.

It broke a once lively soul and Boyd hadn’t known how empty a life without sound would be.

As he watched Stiles laugh at Derek growling playfully at Scott as the new Alpha tried to get a hit in, he prayed he’d never have to experience it again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next POV will be uploaded as soon as possible.


	4. Lydia Martin: Notice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter deals with self-esteem issues and issues with one's sexuality. It is mentioned and hinted at but it doesn't go into depth.
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> Thank you all so much for your encouraging and awesome comments and those who left Kudos. Lots of love!!

Lydia Martin prided herself in seeing things no one else did.

Since her life took a drastic turn when she became a Banshee, Lydia’s view of the world morphed into a darker, scary version. She was forced to open her eyes in order to overcome the hardships of her new, twisted reality. She stopped looking at only the surface of a situation and took to looking deeper, further than what the naked eye perceived as the truth.

Which was why she found great joy in watching Stiles and Derek’s relationship. She had the fortune of being there for some of their special moments.

She’d been there the day Stiles had pulled Derek into their first searing kiss, holding onto the werewolf with whitened fingertips. She had been there to watch, with a fond smile, as Derek whispered ‘I love you, you idiot’, to Stiles.

To watch two people who were so different grow together, building the other up by being nothing more than themselves, was amazing. Where Stiles opened his mouth and spewed reprimanding words, demanding to be heard by Derek if and when the werewolf got lost in his own self-loathing mind, Derek was there to hold Stiles and be the silent anchor the defensive boy needed.

They complemented one another in ways neither seemed to notice.

 _“My better half?”_ Stiles had repeated when Erica had asked where Derek was one pack night. _“_ Fuck that shit. I am my own person thank you very much. You better not be saying that kind of crap in front of Derek because he doesn’t need a _better_ half.”

Knowing how they each impacted the other’s life made it easy for her to pick up when Stiles started carrying himself differently. Since the night she saw Stiles punch Jackson in the face for insulting his father, Lydia had known there was more to Stiles than the stumbling, stuttering moron he became whenever he was around her.

She saw his bravery in the way he ran head first into danger. She heard his selflessness as he pleaded with Peter to take him and leave her alone.

_Look just take me, I don’t care!_

The day Lydia’s observations to this change was confirmed occurred the day Derek invited the McCall pack to join him and his pack to a training session.

Things had been a little tense between the two but Scott tried his hardest to show his support and to overpower his wolf’s restless desire to challenge Derek. She had been a little skeptical as to what they’d be doing and was looking forward to watching how this day would progress without it turning into a natural disaster.

Lydia had expected her day to be filled with sweaty men and women rolling around and wrestling but it turned out to be more than that. As she sat on the front porch of Derek’s home, her own skin sticky with sweat from having just finished her portion of training, she watched as Derek talked with Scott, the two Alpha’s working together as Derek helped Scott’s newly turned Beta, Liam, to control his shift and better the other’s fighting style.

“Okay, let me show you something…” Derek said to Allison and Erica as the two straightened from their sparing stance, the werewolf having the upper hand even with Allison’s hunter training. “Chris taught you well, no doubt, but there is more to defense than about knowing it’s a werewolf you’re fighting.”

Then he turned toward Lydia. She lifted her eyebrows in question wondering how she would be of any help when Derek called out, “Stiles!”

Frowning, Lydia’s head whipped around to the mole-dotted boy whom had been seated on the railing of the front porch. Stiles looked up at the sound of Derek’s voice, his book forgotten on his lap.

“What?”

“C’mere for a sec.”

Lydia saw the shift in everyone, their hesitancy clear in their following eyes as Stiles hopped down, landing steadily on his feet. She remembered a time when the brunette had a habit of tripping over thin air.

Derek turned to Erica and Allison, the two women panting as they eyed the approaching Stiles with matching expressions of confusion. “Okay, now, Stiles knows how I fight, so this will give you an idea of what I was talking about.”

Scott had inched closer, his head cocked to the side. “What exactly are you gonna be showing us?”

Derek glared. “Just watch.”

Stiles shot his boyfriend a loaded look and got an encouraging nod from said werewolf. Shrugging nonchalantly, Stiles moved to shrug off his blue and white plaid shirt. Sharp hazel green eyes widened, taking in the thin, fairly tight white wife-beater.

_Since when does Stiles wear anything other than graphic shirts?_

Lean muscles flexed as Stiles shifted into a perfect stance before Derek. The forever-brooding Alpha looked toward Allison as he said, “you look at the feet. You know that. But also watch the way the wolf moves. His first punch will always give away what kind of fighter he is. Does he rely on his strength, his agility or his surroundings more? Once you know that, you’ll know where to strike should you end up face to face with one.”

There was no warning. Lydia watched, breath hitching in her throat, horrified, as Derek launched himself at Stiles, his arm sweeping with rapid speed toward Stiles’ head. Her heart stopped and skipped as Stiles duck just in time, bending down to avoid the attack before twisting, side to side, at Derek’s two consecutive left and right swipes.

Jackson’s jaw dropped as he stood rooted to the ground beside Isaac. Derek moved to punch Stiles only for the younger man, whom once wore the title of ‘defenseless’ with pride, to grab the attacking arm, his hand gripping the wrist as Stiles spun around Derek, elbowing him in the back.

The next thing she knew Derek was on the ground, falling with a heavy grunt with Stiles standing over him, a playful smirk on his lips.

There was a beat of shocked silence before a loud voice exclaimed, “What the fuck?!”

Stiles spun around, looking wide eyed at a bewildered Erica. The blonde’s lips were parted, her brown eyes filled with incredulity and her outburst seemed to have opened the flood gates. The pack moved forward like a singular unit, voices rising, asking Stiles _when_ he learned to do that, _where_ he learned to do that, _how_ he learned to that and most importantly, _‘why the fuck didn’t he tell them that he could do that’_. (That one had been from Jackson)

Stiles huffed out a breath and reached out for Derek who grasped his hand firmly, allowing himself to be pulled up. Lydia watched as Stiles ran his eyes over Derek, smoothly moving to brush away a smudge of dirt on his cheek, charming a smile out of the werewolf who rolled his eyes fondly.

“So that’s why you started going to the gym?” Scott asked once everyone else had finally shut up.

Stiles looked toward his best friend and gave a non-committed shrug. “Yeah. Derek convinced me that my bat could only get me so far.” He tossed his boyfriend a wink.

“So what else can you do?” Allison asked, her voice eager and filled with barely contained excitement.

 

*

 

Lydia kept her eyes out for more of these ‘Derek convinced me’ moments and found that it happened quiet often. However, it was soon revealed that it wasn’t just Derek ‘convincing’ Stiles to do certain things but also vice versa.

She’d seen the way Derek would ease a book out of an exhausted Stiles’ hand, blatantly ignoring his protests that he wasn’t done yet. His assertion on the matter was usually silenced by a firm look but still… She noticed.

Growing up and knowing the effect attention had on someone, she knew how much it meant to Stiles and Derek to have someone notice _you_.

Before Peter bit her, she had been _Lydia Martin_. She had had an image to uphold, she had built a reputation which she knew she had to stick with if she wanted to leave her mark in Beacon Hills. Meeting Allison had been the first crack in her otherwise perfect plan of dominating those High School halls.

There was a time when, to her, Stiles was nothing more than a wallflower. A blurry form in her peripheral that worked so hard for any strip of her attention. She had hated it and loved it all the same. She liked being desired, it build upon her once unwavering confidence.

She now hated the way she treated him, especially after discovering just how amazing Stiles really was. She hated the way she overlooked his kind words, thinking his opinion meant nothing, when she should have latched onto those encouraging words.

_Well I think you look really beautiful when you cry._

_And I’m pretty sure, that I’m the only one who knows how smart you really are._

_Lydia… what’s wrong?_

After learning and seeing for herself the kind of guy Stiles was, it brought an overwhelming surge of protectiveness to spark within her when it was revealed that Stiles and Derek were in a relationship. She was scared that the cold hearted, heavily guarded Alpha would do to Stiles what so many others have done, with or without knowing.

She was scared Derek would overlooked how loyal and utterly devoted Stiles could be. She feared he’d be as silent and closed off as always even with Stiles, for she knew what it felt like to be with someone you weren’t sure loved you as you loved them.

But, little by little, Derek changed her mind.

“Stiles, get some sleep… I’ll wake you up later. Go.” He’d whisper to a barely conscious Stiles before leading him up to his room.

“Did you eat yet?”

“How many cups of coffee have you had? 5, really? Try standing still and telling me that again…”

It was small things but it left its mark. The imprint growing as she saw the way Stiles acted around and toward Derek.

It was the way Stiles’ eyes always sought Derek out after a battle.

It was the way Stiles glared at Scott, _his best friend_ , when he’d revealed his plan regarding Gerard. Lydia hadn’t been aware that Stiles and Derek were even a growing thing back then but the way in which he had walked over to Derek when Jackson had been turned into a werewolf, the way he had checked over the Alpha, made it clear Stiles was just as protective over Derek as he was of him.

Stiles had ignored Lydia, he had ignored everyone in the entire room as he grasped Derek’s shoulder, lifted him up off the ground and led him away from them all.

_“You used him, Scott!”_

_“Derek! --- Oh thank god…”_

_“C’mon, Sourwolf. Don’t look at me like that, I know you love my cuddles.”_

The most obvious thing was the impact Derek and Stiles had on each other’s lives. She noticed the change they brought out in the other, from the confident, self-assured manner Stiles held himself, to the shocking way Derek laughed at some silly joke Scott or Stiles would make.

They were still the same people. Derek still glared and locked himself up in his room when he needed to escape from everyone and everything. He was still the hard ass Alpha Lydia knew him to be.

As was Stiles. The spaz that followed her around with his eyes remained firmly in place and come out when he moved and flailed around, limbs flying when he became too passionate about a certain topic. He still blushed and stumbled whenever someone caught him off guard, only now it was Derek and that made it even cuter somehow.

They changed one another but they also accepted each other.

 

*

 

Lydia never believed in love. She was quite sure it wasn’t in the cards for her, and as her doubts regarding the stability of her relationship with Jackson grew, she found herself looking toward Stiles and Derek as a beacon of hope for a brighter future.

It was a silent night, with the other’s fast asleep on the make shift puppy pile (It’s not a puppy pile! How dare you, Lydia!). The growing knot in her stomach squeezed when her eyes fell on Jackson.

He was still lying to himself… She knew it. He knew it. Yet he refused to acknowledge it.

She’d thought, having Stiles and Derek as prime examples of a good relationship, Jackson would open his eyes to the life he could have but he only scoffed and growled at her whenever she gave him a knowing look.

She tried to bring it up once… and now they weren’t talking.

Whispering voices reached her ears, hushed and urgent. Stiles and Derek had moved away from them long ago, toward the large display window, which reflected the beautiful woods and allowed streams of moon light in. They were trying to keep their voices low but she could still hear them.

Shifting gingerly, Lydia moved on her head to their direction, peaking through thinned eye slits.

Stiles was leaning back against the window, with Derek standing before him, a little way’s to the side, giving her a clear view of the worried expression itched on Stiles’ face.

“I could try talking to him.” Stiles was saying.

“No, that would just make things worse.”

Stiles huffed out, clearly irritated by the situation. She felt her stomach turn. It seemed her problems with Jackson weren’t as well hidden as she’d thought.

“Then what?” Stiles asked Derek in a pleading whisper. “I hate seeing them like this. I love Lydia and I--- might have strong, camaraderie, _feelings_ toward Jackson but this has to stop. He’s only---“

Derek moved toward Stiles, silently cupped Stiles’ jaw, leaning forward to press a soft kiss against his forehead. Stiles sighed and closed his eyes, his hands coming up behind to fist Derek’s Henley.

“You can’t help everyone, Stiles.” Whispered the Alpha.

“Bullshit.”

Lydia sunk her teeth in her bottom lip, forcing her body to remain calm. Sometimes Derek and Stiles were so lost on each other that the outside world became a distant world to them, and right now, she was grateful for that.

It meant her conscious presence would remain unnoticed as the two continued to speak.

“This is driving you crazy, Stiles. I can see it by the way you’re biting your lip, gnawing it raw.” Derek’s thumb traced over Stiles’ bottom lip, soothing it out from between his teeth. “I know everything in you is screaming for you to do something, anything. I know, because I feel it too. He’s pack and I want nothing more than to help him through this but… I know what it’s like to not accept who you truly are. It takes time, and as long as we continue to be there for them both, they will work it out soon.”

Stiles stared up at Derek, his dark brows pulled together in pure disapproval. They stared at each other, neither backing down as the seconds ticking by, until finally, Stiles rolled his eyes and sighed.

“Fine.” He exhaled as if the admittance was some great burden.

Derek laughed under his breath and leaned over to press his lips against Stiles’. When Stiles’ eyelids fluttered shut, only then does Lydia closer her own eyes, blocking them out. They made no sound and as she replayed their conversation, she came to a soothing realization that she would be okay in the end.

She may not have had the kind of love Stiles and Derek shared but love came in different forms.

After spending most of her teen years hidden behind a mask, she never thought people would noticed her, _the real her_ , but she was wrong.

Just as Stiles and Derek noticed small things about each other, they also kept an eye out on their packs.

And that kind of attention expressed the love they had for everyone in their lives… A love Lydia was blessed to have.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter will be uploaded as soon as possible. As you can see I added another chapter so it will be the usually '5 + 1' fics
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> P.S: The comment of 'the better half' was inspired by an interview of Kelly Clarkson who I love with all my heart.


	5. Scott McCall: Smiles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This, is one of the happiest Chapters I have written. I enjoyed writing this so so much.

To Scott, a smile could change everything about someone. At a young age, when all he had was himself to turn to, he remembered how much a smile affected him.

Before his dad left, Scott remembered how little his mom used to smile. Sure she put up a front to show him that she was okay when really, he knew, she was breaking inside. It was all in her smile.

It didn’t reach her eyes like it used to and that scared him... He tried bringing it out more, doing silly things like making her toast, just for her, with some maple syrup and banana slices. He’d sneak into her room, try not to wake up by tip toeing teeny tiny steps toward her bed. He’d get into her face, reach over and poke her nose until she woke up.

And when she did, he’d made sure the toast was the first thing she saw. He remember how her smile made her eyes all bright, like there were literally stars in them.

Since then, Scott had come to trust someone based on their smile. He could always tell by other's intention on the way they smiled at him.

Which was why, Stiles had becoming his best friend the moment they met.

“Hey!” He remembered Stiles greeting him, a wide grin stretched across his face, which was really him just baring his teeth to show off the gaping hole in the front of his mouth. “I’m Stiles. Who you?”

And the rest, as they say, was history.

 

*

 

Scott remembered the first thing he noticed about Allison, the first thing that made his heart skip. Her smile.

It was a beautiful work of art. Her well defined jaw line framed her face and her sweet, thin lips which were always painted a soft shade of lip gloss pink were damn near angelic… but it was those two features that accentuated her most amazing feature. Her dimples.

Nobody could tell him that Allison’s dimples weren’t the most heavenly thing on this planet. Heck, Scott could write a poem on those dimples alone and Stiles had written proof of that. His best friend had too once agreed that Allison’s smile was mind blowing.

Her smile told the world that beneath her amour was an amazing person that loved everything with her entire being. She smiled to express her joy and those who just so happened to be in her line of sight, would instantly feel loved and happy.

And Scott could honestly say the same thing about Derek’s smile…

Well, not exactly the same thing, that’s just gross; grosser than Stiles’ weird peanut butter and cheese sandwich that he used to bring to school (Scott could still taste the vomit in his mouth when he took a bit of that horrific concoction).

See, the thing with Derek’s smile was that you do not see it that often. That would be excluding the cocky smile/grin thing he gave Scott and Stiles when he came to pick up Erica from school that one time.

Derek’s smile was like a unicorn on the 29 of February… It was a rarity and, amazingly, it was only produced when he was around Stiles.

Scott remembered the first time he caught a glimpse of it.

He had been over to Stiles. He could smell Derek up in Stiles’ room. The dude’s scent was everywhere and it made Scott’s nose twitch whenever he entered his best friend’s room; which was why he wasn’t at all surprised when he entered to find Stiles laughing his ass off on his desk chair, his body tilted back so far, Scott was sure one more inch and Stiles would be crashing to the floor.

No, that’s not what stopped him in his tracks that day.

What had caused his brain to freeze at that very moment was the sight of Derek, Mr. I’m-too-badass-and-broody-to-be-on-your-emotional-level-spectrum, chuckling along with Stiles.

His shoulders were shaking, but it was that wide, lips spreading from ear to ear, thing his mouth was doing. It was the biggest smile Scott had ever seen the Alpha wear and it was directed at his best friend.

However, the moment Scott entered, the smile dropped. Scott would have been hurt but it was Derek. The guy only opened himself up when it was an absolute must and Scott, sadly, was not someone whom Derek opened up to.

Minutes later, Derek was in his leather jacket and ducking out of the window.

Stiles, with his lips still positioned into a pseudo- duckface from Derek’s goodbye peck, turned and grinned kinda drunkenly at Scott. “Ready to get your ass handed to you in COD?”

“Ha! We’ll see!” Scott replied, shrugging off his jacket before getting comfortable on Stiles’ bed.

Derek’s smile still haunted his thoughts long after that.

 

*

 

“Hey, have you noticed how Derek only smiles when he’s around Stiles?” Scott pointed out to the pack. The school cafeteria was noisy but they all heard him, loud and clear.

Lydia raised her eyebrows at him, her mouth opened and her fork, with a strawberry on its end, inches from her lips, replied. “You’re only now noticing?”

Scott rolled his eyes. “No, of course not. It’s just something that’s been in my mind, like a lot lately. Doesn’t it weird you out how he’d be smiling and laughing with Stiles one minute and the next get all frowny when one of us enters the room?”

“And by ‘us’ you mean ‘you’, right?” Erica retorted, her grin wide. “’Cause Derek smiles with me.”

Allison coughed. “Uh, no, he doesn’t.”

Erica turned to glare at his girlfriend. “Excuse me?”

Lydia, swallowing on her strawberry, nodding, pointing her fork toward the blonde. Jackson and Isaac rolled their eyes and returned to sharing their sandwich (He had no idea when and how the two of them became all buddy-buddy, given the fucking way Jackson totally ignored Isaac’s home situation).

“What?” Allison shrugged nonchalantly. “He doesn’t. At least not the kind of smile he gives Stiles. Which is understandable given how closed off he is.” At everyone’s bewildered look, aside from Lydia who just nodded along in agreement, she continued. “Look, Derek hates people. That’s a common thing but you and I both know that if you were to make a joke, he’d give you a small, tiny smile, where if it were Stiles, he’d laugh his ass off. I’ve seen it.”

Now it was Jackson who perked up curiously. “When?”

“Pack night, last week. You and Isaac were telling Derek this joke and he nodded and let out this weird laugh and scoff hybrid. Then, later that night, I was on my way to the bathroom and I hear Stiles telling Derek this story about his rubber ducky getting into a fight with Scott’s squeaky frog and Derek literally laughed. You all heard it.” She gave them all a pointed look.

Before either of them could ponder much on the subject, the only empty chair at the table scrapped against the floor, causing the werewolves to wince.

Stiles plopped down. “Sorry, sorry. That was an accident this time, I swear.”

“ _This time?_ ” Isaac repeated slowly.

Stiles gave him a snarky smirk. “Jacks was being a jackass that day. Now! What are you all gossiping about? It looked serious.”

Scott’s eyes danced over the whole table, unsure if he should tell Stiles he had been openly talking about Derek. It had come to Scott’s attention that although almost nothing could get between them, Derek was someone Stiles would go to war for and he would kick anyone’s ass who dared talk trash about the Alpha.

He would know. Scott still felt the pain at the hurt and disappointment he had seen in his best friend’s eyes as he yelled and screamed at Scott for using Derek when they went up against Gerard.

It was Boyd who answered. “We were talking about Derek and how non-murdery he is around you.”

“Well, duh. Dude’s not a Sourwolf all the time.” Stiles shrugged in the same manner as if Boyd had just said that seawater tasted salty.

“Hmm,” Erica sounded out with a dirty smirk. “Must be all the sex he’s getting.”

Stiles tossed her a look but remained silent on the matter and soon the subject was dropped but the thought remained, floating around in his head like a nagging voice.

 

*

 

Scott watched with a heavy heart as the smile vanished from Stiles’ face after the whole Darach thing. He looked for it, tried to coax it out and his efforts were met with a blank stare and nothing more.

He hated it, because his best friend wasn’t this cold, solemn person. He was the light of anyone’s day. He was the guy who made _you_ feel good, and because of that Scott had no idea how to be there for Stiles the way he had been for Scott.

It came as a great relief when Derek and Stiles got back together. He felt this indescribable joy filling him when he saw them laughing and whispering to each other. Allison had given him a sweet grin of her own when their eyes met and Scott knew, without having to look around, that every single member of the McCall and Hale pack felt the same way.

 

*

 

“Hey, Stiles… what’s this?” Scott asked as he turned around.

He had been looking for an older shirt in Stiles’ draws when he found something way more interesting. Stiles, whom had been busy packing up for Virginia, looked up.

He still can’t believe it was all over. They had made it. They had all made it out alive.

It was all still so surreal, the fact that they were done with High School, that they were all entering a new, unknown chapter of their lives. And as he looked away from Stiles’ wide and panicked eyes to the tiny, silk box he had in his hands, he suddenly realized how unknown the next step truly was.

“Shit… Scott.” Stiles stuttered.

A hand came into view and the ring box was snatched from hands. Scott followed it absently with his eyes, watching as it vanished into the pocket of Stiles’ red hoodie. Only then did Scott’s eyes flicker up, toward his best friend.

“Is that a wedding ring?”

“What? No! I mean, it’s… it’s an engagement ring, not a wedding ring. Like I’m not gonna walk down the aisle next month or anything, and I haven’t even asked yet. And I’m not going to. At least not like, right now. I mean… _Do not look at me like that!_ ”

Scott felt his grin grow wider. Stiles looked as nervous and panicky as the day he took Lydia to the school dance. Only now, his scent wasn’t that messy, blended mix of nerves and uncertainty… it was just nerves.

Stiles let out a loud moan, spinning around before flopping back down on his bed. His arm fell over his eyes and Scott silently took his spot beside him. He wanted to reach out, assure Stiles that it was okay but he wasn’t sure what he should say.

Stiles was going to ask Derek Hale to marry him. And he was only 18 years old.

As if reading his mind, Stiles said. “I only bought it. I’m not… I’m not gonna ask him now.”

“Still, dude.” Scott emphasized. “You bought a ring.”

The arm fell and whiskey eyes landed on him. “You think I’m making a mistake?”

Scott opened his mouth but hesitated. Did he think it was a mistake? No. He always knew Stiles and Derek were gonna last for years to come. Did he think Stiles was moving too fast on this whole thing? Yeah. He did.

But he didn’t want to tell Stiles that, in fear that he would ruin everything. Stiles was always so cautious when it came to relationships and he had a tendency to overthink every small thing which as both a good and a bad thing. Scott knew, should he tell Stiles he was moving too fast, his input might cause Stiles to wait another eight years before considering popping the question.

“I don’t think you’re making a mistake.” Scott answers slowly and carefully.

“But you do think I shouldn’t ask him, right?” Stiles asked again and Scott knew he had deliberately phrased it like that.

Scott bit down on his cheek, thinking his reply thoroughly through and then he said, “I don’t think you should ask him now, yes. ‘Cause, dude, we are both still young and you’re heading off to Quantico and I just--- I don’t want you guys to rush things because you’re scared of, like, what’s gonna happen once you two are out of Beacon Hills. You know?”

Stiles chewed on his bottom lip and Scott could hear the hammering of his thundering heart. “You and Allison are heading off to France together.”

“That’s different.”

“How?”

“Well, for one I don’t have a ring in my sock draw and because Allison made it perfectly clear that we would not be thinking of the future while on this trip. This is just being… together.”

“But you are gonna marry her, right? Like she’s your… it.”

Something twisted in Scott at that. When Stiles was met with nothing but silence, he turned his head, his own eyes growing wider the longer Scott remained closed mouth.

“No? _Really?_ "

Scott shrugged. “Maybe… I don’t know. We’ll see.” He shook his head. “But this isn’t about me and Allison. This is about you and Derek. And the fact that you are planning on proposing to him. I mean, why are you even considering it _now_?”

Stiles sighed and then a sweet, honey scent filled the room. The chemo signal was a common smell whenever Stiles and Derek were the topic of conversation. Before it was a lemony scent, because Stiles was obsessed with Lydia and his 10 year plan but now, instead of the exciting yet unsure smell that once wafted off his best friend, it was a warm, sweet and loving fragrance.

And that spoke volumes as to how much Stiles loves and cares about Derek.

“I am considering it now because…” Stiles trailed off, gathering his thoughts and Scott gave him his time. “I’m happy, man. Like I don’t want this feeling to end and I know, I just know in my heart, that as long as Derek is in my life, I will never feel anything else.” He looked at Scott. “You remember that time--- with that evil bitch? I felt like my soul was in two. I felt—empty and it was only when we got back together that I felt like ‘Stiles’ again.”

“You two aren’t gonna stop being together, Stiles. He’s moving with you for a while, so…”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I know, which is why I wasn’t planning on proposing any time soon. I mean, we are entering this new stage in our story and I don’t want to shake things by asking him to marry me.”

Determined brown eyes met Scott. “But I am gonna ask him. There’s not stopping that.”

“Oh, trust me, dude. I know.”

“Yeah?”

“Hell yeah. I mean, I knew you two were gonna be a ‘forever’ kinda thing long time ago.”

Stiles snorted. “Bullshit. How could you possibly know that?”

Scott flashed back to all the moment’s where he had been sure Derek was the love of Stiles’ life and only one recurring thing played in his mind. He remembered the instant Derek literally through him off his ‘Derek Hale is the bad guy’ wagon.

He gave Stiles a knowing look. “It’s the way you smiled.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter will be out as soon as possible.


	6. Sherrif Stilinski: True Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are! The end!!!! Thank you all so so much for your kind and beautiful words AND for leaving Kudos, it meant the world to me.

John knew love.

He knew the uncontrollable power love had over your soul. And like all things which possessed power, it could build you or break you. It could fill your days with a blinding light, or snuff out that light, all in one single exhalation.

He knew the agonizing pain love inflicted but knowing what he knew, knowing the road his life would lead to the moment he met a beautiful enigma, John would have still smiled at her and listen to her bubbling apology about her stupid Jeep, ‘who had decided on this very day to die in the middle of traffic, when it’s had countless of times!’

He would not change one single detail of that life changing moment, because, it was on that fateful day, during a road block, with millions of blaring honks, that had met the love of his life.

Claudia Rose Stilinski.

John reminisced frequently on the life he had been blessed to share with his Angel (Because that’s what she was…. His Angel), and those solemn yet comforting moments occurred each and every time he was around Stiles. Their son.

He was just like his mother… at least on the surface, as she would always say.

From the never ending questions, to the frantic answers, he was _every bit_ her son. He saw Claudia when Stiles would get all passionate about a topic not many cared to give two seconds of thought about, yet his son spend hours researching. He saw Claudia in the way Stiles protected and loved John to a point where the Sheriff had finally accepted that no amount of ‘I’m the parent. You’re the son’ would change the way his boy fussed and worried over him.

So… because John knew what love was, he was well aware when his son had found the love of _his_ life.

He’d suspected it was the feisty red head whom his son waxed nauseatingly sweet poetry about John thought he’d end up dying of extreme levels of second-hand dopamine.

He’d suspected for one brief second that it might be Scott… but Stiles squashed that idea when he asked Scott if he was gonna be his Robin… Lydia was never his partner in crime, always the girl he was meant to save.

(John knew along before Stiles understood what love was that his little boy might one day have a husband when he had asked one random day if he could made Marcus Spark a valentine’s day card as supposed to Crystal Jones, because Marcus was ‘a better valentine’… It took a lot of explaining and a phone call to Marcus’ parents who, thank God, had been kind and open minded folks, and a hour to convince Stiles that maybe he should give his card to Marcus with his parents around instead of in front of the whole class where Marcus would get easily shy by all the attention.)

No… He knew it the day he saw his son with Derek Hale of all people.

It had been shortly after John had been told about the life his son had been hiding, the day John’s whole view of Beacon Hills and the future he had envisioned for Stiles changed.

“And yeah… that’s about it.” Stiles finished off and looked over to Derek, who had been standing like a shadow behind Stiles, his arms crossed over his chest and his thick eyebrows pulled together, in irritation or concentration, John couldn’t determine. “Did I miss anything?”

“You mean in the two hour retelling of the past events?” Derek asked, exasperation clear in his voice.

“You know, no one asked you to be here for this.”

“I was afraid you might turn this into some Marvel comic book origin story… which you did.”

John’s eyes flickered back and forth between the two.

“Why can’t you just answer my questions? Why you gotta add your special blend of serious sarcasm. And by the way it be a DC origin story, not Marvel.”

Derek raised his eyebrows. “How long have you been itching to use that little line?” Just as Stiles opened his mouth to retort, Derek cut him off. “Yes, Stiles. You covered all the crap.”

John narrowed his eyes as he caught the look his son shot the… werewolf. God, his head was starting to hurt. “And, how long has this,” he swung his finger back and forth between the two, “been going on?”

The light air dropped in a second, and a tense pause followed, during which Stiles straightened up from where he was leaning against the desk and Derek shifted toward his son. Though, neither one of them so much as glanced at the other, John knew, somehow, in some way, they were communicating.

Stiles gave him a weird smile. “Would it help if I said we aren’t having sex?”

The tips of Hale’s ears turned red.

John gave Stiles the stern look he had been forced to perfect when Stiles had turned four. “Stiles… Don’t deflect. It’s gonna end with you telling me the truth in the end anyway.”

Two pairs of hesitant eyes met before falling on John.

“We’re going on a year now.” Stiles answered in a clear voice. “And before you say anything, we didn’t tell you because to do that would have needed me telling you about the whole werewolf thing and I didn’t want to pull you into this mess. Okay? I was trying to protect you and adding to the fact that Derek is 5 years older than me and I am, in the eyes of the law, a minor, we didn’t want you to judge us based on that and I didn’t want you to judge Derek without knowing him personally. We—“

A hand fell on Stiles shoulder and he trailed off. John gave his boy a small squeeze.

Neither said anything for a while. John waited until whatever mind map- diagram following- speech Stiles had clearly prepared faded and he was thinking clearly, before John dropped the calm expression, allowing the corner of his lips to tug up into a smile.

Stiles frowned. “Why are you smiling? Is that a good smile or a bad smile?” He turned to look at the silent and bewildered Derek. “Derek? Help.”

Wide green eyes met him incredulously.

Sighing, John shook Stiles’ shoulder. “Son, relax. I’m not gonna forbid you from seeing Derek, although the three of us are gonna be having a long, long talk and soon. But not today. Today, I just want some time to wrap my head around _all of this_. Okay?”

Stiles swallowed, his shoulder still tensed under John’s hand. “So you’re not, like, mad… or disappointment in…”

“No. _Never_.” John’s eyes bore directly into his son’s eyes… Claudia’s eyes. “I am proud of you, Stiles.”

A blinding grin broke across Stiles’ once tight features. Everything about him lit up and the smile on John’s lips grew wider.

And then he saw it.

In one single look.

Stiles turned his head. His eyes met Derek’s and everything in the room seemed to not exist for the two. It was Stiles and Derek and whatever message they had just passed, both oblivious to the observing eyes.

He knew that look. He understood that look.

_Aw, crap…_

 

*

 

The one thing that made Stiles, Claudia’s son was his heart. He got his heart from her. There was no doubt about it.

Claudia would always muse about this with a sage expression. “If he’s got my heart, then he most definitely has your spirit. Ah! Do not fight me on this, John!” She’d say as dramatically as she could.

With a heart that loved with everything in it, Stiles had always been in danger of having his heart shattered. It’s one of John’s greatest fears and why he had been a little unsure about Lydia Martin.

He prayed someone didn’t take advantage of Stiles, using him and his kind and giving heart only to drop him the very next day. He’d been there, watching on the side lines, as Scott got caught up on Allison and his new and exciting relationship. He knew better than to talk to Stiles about it because the boy would clamp up and deflect so fast, John’s head would spin, but still… he saw it and it broke his heart.

Which way why, John knew he would not be taking the same road with Derek Hale. Not when it was his son’s heart at risk.

“Stiles?” He knocked only once before opening the door.

The room was darkened, with a single lit desk lamp that glowed down on his son where he was seated by his work desk, the harsh light of the laptop paling his already porcelain complexion.

“Hey, kiddo. You got a few minutes? I want to talk to you.”

There was a few clicks and whatever video Stiles had been watching was paused. Turning in his seat, wide open eyes fell on John and once again, something turn within at the hint of darkness lurking beneath those once sun-bright eyes.

“Uh… what’s up?”

_Like you don’t know…_

John took a seat beside Stiles, feeling the nervousness his boy was exuding. He wanted to ease him but he knew that a nervous Stiles was an open Stiles, or he was very easy to read at least

“I want to talk to you about Derek Hale.”

Stiles’ right cheek fell in as he no doubt started chewing on its inner tissue. “Yeah, I figured.”

John had been wondering about Stiles and Derek’s relationship, his questions only increased in number as he watched them during their first awkward dinner together and when he and Melissa had been invited for ‘pack night’ at Derek’s house.

“How exactly did you two start?”

Pale fingers twitched and soon Stiles had a pencil twirling in his hand. “We were always a thing, I guess. I mean, I kinda hated him and he hated me but after saving each other’s lives, multiple times I might add, we were forced to see each other as allies.” The corner of Stiles’ lips tugged up. “And then, with Scott being Scott on one side and Derek being Derek on the other, I was forced to look at the two as not Derek and my best friend but as a newly turned werewolf and a born werewolf and the lines began to blur, you know?”

Brown eyes met his and John nodded, encouraging Stiles to continue.

“Anyway, when that happened I saw another side of Derek. A… hurt and grieving side. And I could sympathize with that because of Mom. I started getting really protective of him, helping him when I didn’t really _have_ to and the next thing I know we were in this messy battle and I was kissing him---“

“Okay, okay, okay.” John cut him off, grimacing with displeasure. “I get the idea.”

A pink hue warmed his son’s cheeks and John chose to ignore it. “And was that when you started dating?”

“No, we… We kinda ignored each other for a bit after that until Erica dragged to me to the loft and told me to talk with Derek unless I wanted my insides suddenly on the outside… Don’t worry! That’s just Erica. She’s very aggressive but only ‘cause she thinks that’s the only way people will take her seriously. She mellowed out after she and Boyd got together. He’s like the water to her fire. You know?”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

“Yeah, any who, we got our act together, had a seriously hard and lengthy talk about our, back then, probable relationship. And that’s that.” John nodded. “And you and Scott? How are you juggling that?”

Stiles shrugged. “Playing it by ear, I guess. I’m not leaving Derek and I’m not gonna stop being friends with Scott. The two of them sorted their weird Alpha thing out so as long as they aren’t at each other’s throats we don’t poke the hornets’ nest.”

“So I’m guess you and Derek are serious? This isn’t some… passing romance.”

Hard brown eyes met his. “Not a chance.”

John nodded, watching as another small piece of his little boy chipped away from the young man sitting before him. “Good to know.”

 

*

 

John had figured, as he was sure everyone else did, that Stiles and Derek had a relationship that definitely come with it’s up and downs. He knew, with the life his son led, that being with someone was hard work and he had offered his ear to Stiles if things ever got hard.

“Thanks, dad. But Derek and I are cool.”

And they were.

To see how mature and grown up his 17 year old son was, was difficult. He wanted his boy to remain carefree and to have the freedom to make mistakes every now and then but instead, Stiles was talking about joining the FBI, moving in with Derek and planning on how and when he would be able to make it to Beacon Hills during his training in Quantico.

That little problem led to another ‘I’m the dad. You’re the son’ talks.

But, as John stood outside his home, guests all taking turns to hug Stiles and wish him luck, he felt an overwhelming, damn near uncontainable, surge of pride fill him. His smile had yet to fade as he followed Stiles’ every move.

Everyone had agreed to meet up at his home on the last day for a last ‘pack night’. Lydia had left the day before to go to MIT, so the redhead was the only missing face among the little family his son had made. Erica and Boyd were in the midst of hugging Derek, the blonde refusing to let go even when her boyfriend started tugging her back to give Isaac a turn.

Stiles and Scott were wrapped around each other, shooting anyone a nasty glare who even dared to break them up. Thank God the two saved each other for last because it has been 10 minutes and not one of those boys have moved.

“It’s gonna be hard without them here.”

John turned to the right and met the kind, soft smile of Melissa with an understanding one of his own. “Yeah…” He sighed.

Her hand fell on his arm, giving it a comforting squeeze. “At least we know they aren’t gonna be alone.”

At her words, his eyes moved and landed on Derek Hale. The sour, hard faced kid was not someone he’d ever thought Stiles would be interested in, much less be in a relationship with. Being the stubborn person that his son was, he didn’t need someone just as stubborn and just as defensive.

Or so he thought.

John remembered the night Derek Hale had cemented himself into his and Stiles’ life.

It had a raining all day, the severity of the coming storm growing as day gave way to night. The thunder was clapping and there were flashes of light outside his windows every now and then. Stiles had told him he’d be in his room, going over some research which was either code for ‘Enter my room at your own risk’ or ‘there’s a new bad guy in town and it’s on my shoulders to figure who or what that is’.

With the constant humming of the coping machine, it was a safe bet to assume it’s the second.

John had been getting ready for early night in, hoping to get some shut eye, when a soft knock on his front door diminished those plans. John paused, praying he had misheard. The knock came again, only this time louder.

Stiles’ door creaked open and John groaned as he too got out of bed. Footsteps echoed through the silent house and the front door opened. John trekked down the stairs slowly, Stiles’ urgent and worried voice overpowering the storm raging outside.

“Hey, what’s—Woah! What happened? What’s wrong?”

Quickening his steps, John rushed down to see what had distressed his son. Reaching the end, he rounded the hallway only to freeze on the spot. Fear gripped him at the sight before him, a thousand scenarios running through his head about who they had lost and what had come to darken their doorstep once again.

“Hey, hey, shh.” He heard Stiles say as he got closer.

John’s heart clenched. There, practically holding the body up, was Stiles and in his arms was a hunched over Derek Hale. He couldn’t get a view of the werewolf’s face as it was buried into the side of Stiles’ neck, his son cupping the back of his head, holding him in place as he shushed and muttered comforting words to Derek.

“What’s wrong, Der? What happened?”

John already had a plan formed, seconds away from grabbing his gun and uniform at the first indication that his men was needed. That’s what he promised himself after learning about the supernatural, that Stiles and his friends never had to go through all of it alone. Not ever again.

Derek said nothing. He merely shook his head, burrowing further into Stiles, pulling him closer. Stiles shifted just a bit and wide brown eyes met John’s.

Instantly, he knew what needed to be done. With a nod from John, Stiles turned and whispered something to Derek. The older boy shook his head but after a few coaxing words, he loosened his hold on Stiles.

Stiles ducked his head, seeking Derek’s eyes as he cupped his tear stained face. “My room. Okay?”

Derek nodded.

John made his way to the kitchen just in time as Stiles turned and led Derek away from the door. The front steps were wet and a trail of water droplets were left in their wake. He moved to the kitchen and got to work on a cup of tea, adding a teaspoon of honey. It was only after he had the steaming cup in his hands that he had realized he had made her tea.

John took his time heading upstairs, giving Derek and Stiles their space. He didn’t know Derek Hale but he knew something serious must have occurred for the werewolf to sought Stiles out in this weather. When he reached the top of the stairs, he waited a few seconds before knocking.

A minute or so later the door opened, revealing a pale and twitching Stiles.

“He okay?” John asked.

Stiles’ leaned back glancing behind him. He turned to face John with a grim expression on his face. “Bad memories, is all. Is that tea?”

He looked down absentmindedly at the steaming cup, missing John’s worried eyes. “Yeah. Your mom’s tea.”

Brown eyes snapped up. Stiles’ lips parted but no sound escaped him. John just smiled, handing it over.

It was family tradition. Tea with honey, only John and Stiles made for one another. John knew the weight of his actions but tonight wasn’t the night to waste time thinking about it. It was a gesture done on pure instinct and as Stiles took the cup from his hands and gave him a teary smile, John knew he knew too…

“ _Sheriff._ ” A deep voice pulled him out his reverie and back to the present.

John straightened up from the door jam and met the hesitant eyes staring back at him. After all these months, Derek was still cautious around him.

“Derek.” John said, hiding his joy when he noted the way Hale shifted under his steely gaze. “You sure you still want to be stuck with my son all the way over in DC?”

“Hey!” An offended voice exclaimed in the distance and Derek and John huffed in amusement.

With a small grin growing on his face, Derek turned to look over his shoulder at a beaming Stiles who had just set Allison down onto her feet. He saw the instant drop of Derek’s shoulder as the boy stared at his kid.

_Aww, hell…_

When Derek turned to look back at him, John only nodded. He wasted no time, taking a step forward and opened his arms. He saw the wide eyed expression of shock that Derek shook off in record time before leaning in for the embrace.

John patted his back, pulling back three breathes later mindful of Derek uneasiness about touch.

“Awesome,” A voice said behind them. “My boyfriend and my dad getting alone… We sure the world isn’t ending?”

John shot his son a look. “Would you rather I arrest him?”

Stiles smirked. “Can’t. What we do now is legal as of last week.”

“Oh god, Stiles. Shut up.” Derek groaned under his breathe, the tips of his turned bright pink.

All around, everyone laughed.

“I’m just saying.” Stiles raised his hands in surrender, his eyes glowing with humour as he smirked over at Derek.

John huffed fondly, shaking his head. “Come here, kid.”

Stiles was in John’s arms a second later. Something inside him broke when felt the strength in Stiles’ grip, which spoke of years of work that no 18 year old should be doing. A hot breathe washed through the material of his shirt, against his shoulder and John knew, no matter the age, Stiles would always be his little boy.

The son that pressed his face into John’s stomach when he’d hug him, waiting and counting every inhalation and exhalation, as a form of comfort. The son that grew up into the man in John’s arm that he knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, Claudia would be grinning down upon, bragging up in Heaven that that was her baby boy.

“Love you.” Stiles whispered to him.

John blinked away the tears that sprung in his eyes. “I love you too.” He said back, his voice deeper from the cocktail of emotions coursing through him. “You kick ass at Quantico alright. Show them whose boss.”

A wet laugh reached his ears.

With one final squeeze, Stiles and John broke apart. He cupped Stiles’ face, grinning with pride before reluctantly letting go.

Stiles turned to the left, gave Melissa a smile before taking a step backward. John watched on, his blue eyes glimmering with tears as a hand fell on the small of Stiles’ back the moment his son turned around and headed toward the Jeep.

The heavy, worrying weight on his chest, lessened at that act. He’d been skeptical about Quantico and the training Stiles would have to go through. His boy had been through so much already, to enter into a career where violence was day to day occurrence, scared him.

But, as Derek’s hand on Stiles back dropped and the werewolf turned to lift a waving at them all, John knew, deep in soul, that no amount of violence will ever blacken Stiles’ life… not with Derek by his side.

Derek and Stiles got into the Jeep. They said something to each other which had Stiles laughing and the werewolf in front of his house smirking. John watched as the pair turned to wave to them all one last time before Stiles started the Jeep.

It stuttered for a second before roaring to life. Stiles whooped inside the car, gave Derek a smug look.

Just as they pulled away, John caught the smile growing on his son’s and Derek’s face.

 

*

 

John Stilinski knew all about love. He knew the journey to love was one filled with trails and hardships. He had been blessed to have met the love of his life and to have spent her last years on the Earth with her.

As he watched Derek lean over Stiles’ shoulder, the werewolf’s eyes fixed on the little peaceful bundle in his son’s arms, he remembered the day he had met Derek Hale.

He remember the helpless look in the scared little boy’s face as he waited for his big sister to come get him from the Sheriff’s station. He recalled the silent prayer he’d sent out that night that somewhere, somehow, that kid would have bright and joyous future filled with love.

John remembered sighing the word ‘Amen’ just as his offices doors burst open, announcing Stiles’ entrance to everyone and anyone at the station.

Someone had been listening, he knew that now.

“John.” Derek called to him. His grin was wide and watery as he tore his eyes away from his daughter. “Wanna hold her?”

Clearing his throat, John nodded. “Of course.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The little girls name is Claudia, but it is pronounced: "Cloudia"

**Author's Note:**

> Will Be Uploading the next chapter tomorrow.
> 
> Title of my story is by Ocean Wide- The Afters (And amazing song that I through worked for Stiles and Derek)


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